1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a refrigerator employing a thermoelectric cooling apparatus, specifically designed for the cooling of cans of beer or carbonated beverages and constructed in such a manner as to be readily portable.
2. Summary of the Prior Art:
Ever increasing numbers of people have been participating in camping, picnicking, sports and similar outdoor activities, so there is an ever increasing need for a light weight, compact, readily portable refrigerating unit suitable for cooling of potable liquids, such as beer and/or carbonated beverages. Additionally, many people prefer their drinks to be in a "slushy", almost frozen state. The utilization, in a portable unit, of a conventional cooling system employing a compressor, condenser and evaporator is essentially ruled out by the excessive weight and space necessarily involved in the design of such mechanical units. While thermoelectric cooling units have heretofore been proposed for refrigeration purposes, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,870, substantial space is required for the mounting of such units. Since the cooling rates achieved by a thermoelectric unit is substantially less than that of the compressor-condenser-evaporator type unit, the extraction of heat from the liquid containers and the insulation of the cabinet containing the liquid containers must be substantially more efficient than the compressor-condenser-evaporator type unit, yet achieve the cooling objective with a total size and weight which is less than such known units, resulting in a cooling apparatus for liquids that is readily portable.